Victor Martins made a significant statement during the opening Free Practice session in Monte Carlo, showcasing a dominant performance for ART Grand Prix. The talented French driver was the only competitor to break into the 1:21s, achieving an impressive best lap time of 1:21.715, which placed him well ahead of the rest of the drivers on the circuit. Martins, representing the Williams Academy, exhibited remarkable control as he navigated the challenging streets of the Principality, finishing the session with a notable advantage of over seven-tenths of a second over his closest rival.
Following Martins, Luke Browning maintained his strong momentum, securing the second-fastest time for Hitech Pulse-Eight. Meanwhile, Leonardo Fornaroli continued to impress, clinching the third position for Invicta Racing. The current Championship leader, Alexander Dunne, initially set the pace with a lap time of 1:25.666 for Rodin Motorsport. Shortly after, TRIDENT’s Sami Meguetounif moved into second place, while Gabriele Minì occupied the third position for PREMA Racing in the early stages of the session.
Martins wasted no time in making his mark, quickly lowering the benchmark to 1:24.014, followed by a remarkable 1:23.230, creating a six-tenths gap between himself and the rest of the drivers. He wasn’t finished yet; Martins continued to push, clocking in a blistering 1:22.623, solidifying his position at the top as the session reached its midpoint.
A brief interruption occurred when Amaury Cordeel brought out a Red Flag after his Rodin car made contact with the barriers at Sainte Dévote. Fortunately, the Belgian driver emerged unscathed, and the recovery of his vehicle was swift, leaving seven minutes remaining on the clock for the session.
Once the session resumed, Minì seemed poised to challenge for the fastest time. However, Martins had the final say. His lap on the Supersoft tires was unmatched, extending his lead to nearly three-quarters of a second over the competition. As the session drew to a close, Browning and Fornaroli both improved their times, securing second and third places, respectively, while Minì was pushed down to fourth position.
Dino Beganovic, who had previously secured pole position in Imola, finished the session in fifth place for PREMA. He was followed closely by Richard Verschoor, who rounded out the top six for MP Motorsport. The remainder of the top ten featured Arvid Lindblad, Dunne, Roman Stanek, and Jak Crawford.
In summary, Martins’ performance in Monte Carlo served as an early indication of his potential, while the competition remains fierce among the other drivers as they all aim for top positions in the upcoming events.
